Stairwell up

Not sure what the fascination is with the stairs. Guess its the angles and the dark lines that emphasize them.

Here was the next drawing, with a different angle to the opening to the 2nd story. The lighting on the walls and especially in the opening is in such contrast to the dark railings,.
These drawings like most on this trip were done with a Zebra ball point pen- black ink and fine point.

Marcott lakes sketches and drawings.

 Marcott middle lake

It was not long after arriving in Minnesota that we made a trek down the hill to the lake. This was the view sitting on the only chair available. Done with a fine Zebra black ball point on 5 x 9 sketch paper, as are all these sketches and drawings from this trip. Seems like I filled about 50 pages in that sketch pad. This day the corner of the dock was under water; the next it was half under water, so the docks got pulled out.

Marcott east lake

There are 3 lakes in the Marcott chain. This is the south east one. looking toward the smaller middle lake.  You can barely see its north shore through the weeds on the right. The eagle hangout is just out of sight above the passage between these lakes-you can see it in the sketches below.  The fishing is good and the lake is quiet.

Birches on the way down...

We made several trips down the hill (or "hail" as a little girl from Georgia might say it!)   that week to the lakes below. This sketch was along the trail below the hill in the subdued lighting of the afternoon, while on a walk by myself.

Eagle sketches on the lake

There is a resident pair of bald eagles on the lakes below the house. This day I was in the rowboat alone while Andrew and his dad were fishing ahead of me. So there is a sketch of them in the middle of this page. The birds are all the same one. Not on the nest, after all it is fall, but in the high cottonwoods above the passage between 2 lakes. Good luck rolling your phone to get the lower sketch oriented properly. It shows the scale of this big bird in the tall tree.

Houses and more...

This is the kid's house. We are always pretty comfy here, with lots of things to do and food to eat.

One of the houses we went to look at with our son-in-law. It was up for auction.  There are 2 views here; on the right is the side view of the Colonial style porch, with an airplane flying overhead...

This baby grand was left in the house up for auction. Well, it actually did have a back leg, but I ran out of time- or patience!

The collection

There is a row of about 5 or 6 antique farm implements along the road in the kid's neighborhood. I have photos of them, but this is the first time I have taken the time to sketch some of them. I felt a bit uncomfortable getting too far onto this fella's property. "Whose woods these are I think I know..." was said by Robert Frost but I was not sure this landowner was distant nor willing to have folk poking around his stuff. But I had to get into a good position to get the crow while he was passing through the neighborhood.

Here was the 2nd sketch of the 2nd plow. I learned a lot about these ol' plows by doing these drawings. Things you do not learn when you snap a photo and forget it...

Here is the old rake. This is a classic, and with all the spokes and tines provides lots of interest.

All 3 were done in a 5 x 9 inch sketch pad.

Sketches from the trip to the North Shore

Sketches from I 35 from Minneapolis to Duluth, a section that we had never been on.

Sketches from Duluth to Split Rock with the tunnels where we had to stop for construction. 

    Here is a sketch done while waiting at the gas station on the way home from Duluth. It was well after dark, and that will usually make an interesting drawing.

Other sketches from around the canal

 These 2 lighthouses sit across the canal from each other- west and east. This east one is the larger and may still be used??  The small vessel came churning past us as we waited for the large cargo vessel, the Beatrix, to leave its moorings and exit the harbor.

 We had come to Duluth primarily to see the lift bridge and the museum there.  The 2 lighthouses are at the entrance to the canal into the Duluth harbor. This they call the west lighthouse I have been told; it is the smaller of the 2 but probably the more picturesque of the 2.

Sea gulls were constantly overhead in the late afternoon, and occasionally landed close by on the wall along the pier,

These sketches include one of the east lighthouse from across the lift bridge. 

It is a view looking over the timber opening in the breakwater next to the pier. We crossed the bridge on foot and stuck our feet in the waters of lake Superior at the suggestion of Aunt Dorothy.      

Superimposed over that sketch is one from the canal park of the Nels J- a small landlocked vessel turned eatery called "Crabby 'ol Bill's".

The Bayfield

We had about a half hour wait for the next bulk tanker to come through the canal. We would then get to see the lift bridge raise. This little tug sits near the museum and the canal, so I was able to get a nice drawing while we waited.  You can see a bit of the bridge behind the tug boat on the left and the bridge tower above the boat as well. This little boat was a Corpse of Engineers vessel. There were a few day lilies blooming below the prow of this gem; a bit late for flowers to bloom in the Duluth area. It was October 18th and very warm.                                                    
Done as most of these sketches in a 5" x 9" sketch pad with a Zebra ball point pen.

Split Rock lighthouse.

We did not decide to drive up to the lighthouse until we were already in Duluth. As the tour guide talked to us I began to sketch this view of the shore side of the lighthouse from the trail. The tour group had disappeared down the trail when I stopped sketching and ran to catch up with them. Not your normal view of a lighthouse - from the shore side.  This is one of the more famous lighthouses in the world I suppose. You always see pics of it. I had postcards of it as a kid, probably before it was a state park. Never have actually been there till this trip with our daughter...
The small building on the left is the oil shed, the larger one houses the fog horn. Everything was built with brick on stone, and is kept immaculate-- your tax dollars at work!

Here are some notes and sketches along the North Shore and at the lighthouse. There are some unusual names, like Castle Danger, MN.  The sketches are of the keeper's house, as well as the oil shed from the front, which was a very big deal in the early 20th century when all the supplies including the oil for the lamp in the lighthouse came up the cliff. You also see the kid that was our tour guide - a very sharp Minnesotan" whose name first name was Zender.
Once there was a fog that lasted 11 days, during which time the diesel fog horns blasted continually; every 20 seconds there was a 2 second blast. So the way I figure, there was about 47,000 blasts of which everyone stationed there listened to day and night for 11 days!

60	Min / hr
3600	Sec / min
24	Hr / day
86400	Sec / day
4320	Blasts / day
11	total days
47520	Total blasts on fog horn in 11 full days....

Dewitt-Seitz building

Now lets go a different direction for awhile. These next posts will be from our trip in October to our daughters place in Minnesota. The week had plenty of opportunities for sketching. Came home with about 50 pages of sketches in the 9x5 pad that I used primarily.  

Went on an excursion to Duluth and  the north shore of Lake Superior. Here is a sketch done of the skyline where we parked to watch the lift bridge. We had never been there before.  Very enjoyable on an unusually warm day.

Other field sketches

Here are some more sketches of fall plants from September and October...

I am calling this rattlesnake root. Not sure that's what it really is...

Numerous woody plants and vines were blooming a month ago.  I figure drawing them may be the best way to be able to identify some of them.  This one with its narrow leaves and still unripened fruit was a bit unusual for me.

Called this one swamp sunflower, because that is where it is growing in the wetlands.  Once again I am really only guessing. but it was a good chance to draw some sunflowers.

And one more drawing...

Poison Ivy

You do not want to just have a sketchy idea of how to recognize this baby!!   These 2 drawings will give you a good idea of the shape of the triplet of leaves.  But you should be able to recognize it by color and and texture as well.  Poison Ivy is a vine, and it NORMALLY grows like a vine! There are plenty of other things that can have three leaves, but do not grow like poison ivy. Virginia creeper can have just 3 leaves when it is a very new sprout. Beans and their relatives may have 3 leaves but are not a vine. Very small maple sprouts may look a lot like a small poison ivy vine.  Then blackberries as well will have 3 leaves, but the are jagged edged and fuzzy, and grow on a cane, not a vine. What else is there that can make you think poison ivy??

Another sketch of poison ivy. Everyone wants you to show 'em what it looks like, so....maybe this will help. Three leaves, each with a thumb- most the time.

Button bush

Here is another of the plants in the park. Not as common here as in the wetlands I suppose. But the notes here say it was on the dam, along with the small sycamores that don't mind getting their feet wet.

Cup plant again

Here is the original ink drawing that I used as reference for the pencil drawing posted on the 8th.  It was done one day after the first drawing of these large plants. This was not the tallest, but it was still as tall as I, at about 6 feet. Some of the leaves were already suffering from the long season. You may recognize the leaves at the bottom of the drawing...

Fall sunflower

Here is one of the plants, fairly common in the park. It has a distinct leaf arrangement under, what is now, a single died bloom. 2 opposite leaves alternate up the stem at 90 deg. angles to each other.  Fascinating.  I'm thinkin' this is a downy sunflower. 

One of my favorite wild flowers on the south end of the big prairie. You can see now when the green is all gone; the patches of gray among the darker cone flowers.

Sketches from the field

Here are 3 sets of sketches done at different times

 with a bit different techniques 

in two different places.

This simple ink drawing was done on a whim. Needing to do some sketching before I left the wetlands and started a hectic day, I pulled out a marker and did this quick one.  The Lillies are sitting at the bottom on the water, and rising at the top above the trees on the horizon. They were in bloom, and it is amazing.  I stepped into the "blind" nearby and as the door shut behind me I could see one flower in full bloom standing just above the benches in the darkness. It had grown up through the slots in the floor and up above the wooden bench before it bloomed. The only light it relieved was that coming in the open windows. It had come this far, I was not to disturb it.  But I am sorry I did not do another sketch.

Here is a very small and simple sketch.  All the few remaining petals, dried and dark, are stretching away, as if they were wanting to follow the wind that took all their classmates on a field trip south for the winter. They did not leave when all their classmates caught the bus, but there will be another one. And now they seem to have changed their mind; all blown and dried the same direction.

This page from the sketchbook shows some of the variety that I was noticing that morning in mid- September. It was a bit chilly for the bee, so he posed little threat to my nose sticking in his business.  The arrangement of the blackened "brown-eyed"s caught my eye.  Then new growth of some fruit on the top right, and some distant elm shoots top left.

wetlands fowers

Here is a drawing of the sunflowers in full bloom in the old section of the wetlands below the education pergola following the path along the canal. Cannot tell you exactly which variety it is; maybe someone could help me...
There was a large praying mantis under the top flowers which I did not see for some time as I got started drawing.  When I was ready to add him into the drawing, he was gone.  But the
Sharp-shinned hawk in the dead tree over the canal never did move.
Done in a 5 x 9 format with a ball point pen. No pencil or marker in this one.

Berry leaf

I had carried this leaf home from the park. It seemed a bit unusual, with its double-lobed leaves, rather than 5 distinct leaves. I suppose it is a blackberry or what.  Looks like all the rest over there. If you can tell me otherwise, I would be glad to know.  I stuck the leaf on the edge of this weathered board I have been saving for framing material, shined a light on it one evening and began to draw. This is done with a ball point pen. I just get so messy with a pencil...

Friendly flowers

 How about some drawings done inside while we were recuperating from a nasty bug...

 Roses given to Mom for her birthday...a finished drawing.

And other flowers brought to our place during the week.  

In 3 different vases. 

The only date showing is Grammie's birthday...

Done with a fine marker on a 11 x 17 copy paper. 

A fairly quick sketch; all 3 took less than 30 minutes.

I was still not disinterested in the rest of the ageing roses by this time, 

but they had had their day in the sun.  The angles and the sparse elements are what I was wanting to catch; a single rose leaning off center is interesting.

 Did this study long after the one above with a ball point.

More field sketches

Here is the cup plant. Found in the circle walk south of the nature center

 Here is the first sketch I did of the cup plant. Not until I had done one or 2 more did I take the time to find it in the data base and id it.  It catches water in the "cup" made where the leaf wraps around the stem, hence the name.  These rough fellas were 10' tall and beginning to show a lot of dark from the changing weather.

I had to do this drawing of the leaf of this plant from straight on. They have such an unusual profile. I actually did this pencil drawing a home from sketches done at the park.

Sycamore sapling

Returning to some of the field sketches and drawings of the last month or two.

This 9 x 12 format is a bit larger than most of what I have been doing in the field. I was carrying a bag with the sketch pad in it as well as binoculars, and an emergency rain coat of sorts to keep stuff dry. Walking on the west sidewalk at Prairie Park I was glad to see this large sapling with branches of leaves hanging in straight  lines.  Kinda like a row of upside down umbrellas turned inside out in the wind.
It was 10 am a month ago. I started this drawing with a ball point pen- a black Zebra 301 0.7, and then when I found it days later at  home finished it up with a Bic velocity gel 0.7 which gives a much wider line. I used it for the darker areas of the drawing.

Pop da hood!

How about some trucks for something a bit different.

 '7/18/16 was the day of this sketch. It was done as I was headed to pick up Gramma Ruth from her morning activities.  The hood was up on this high stepper. I think the hood is "popped" most the time.
'

Sometimes it takes a bit to wrangle up a subject. But when there is a jeep around, that is never the case.  And in North Lawrence, there is always stuff like this to draw.   The place is more like a small mid-western river town on the back road to no place special than it is like the north side of a college town.  I like it.

We were sitting in the park next to the fire station.  This was view from our truck.  A little pencil, but mostly ink.

Browns Chapel CME

You can see some of the notes on this page from a full sized sketch pad.  We had taken a walk from MGH's on the road that heads mostly east. The main road is named after the chapel but actually has two names depending on where you look on the map. The other name is a surname found in an old part of this cemetery.  If you go looking for the place, don't expect your gps to get you very close)
There are many such churches as this in the south - actually all over the country.  Mostly ignored by the descendants of those buried here, although there were some new graves we saw.  The message they may have originally protected is mostly forgotten as well.   It is a short walk up the dirt drive leading into it, and there seems to be no rich benefactor to fence the property and keep it up.  But the view speaks of all the old ways, and more honest times.

This pencil drawing and the studies that go with it is one of my favorite from this trip to Middle Georgia. It was done in a sketchpad and tossed aside only to be found recently.  About a 9 x 12 inch format I believe.  The larger sketch was done and then I thought it would be good to do a couple studies to clear up some of the details and jog my memory later...   The notes clarify some of the grave markings and other signage on the property.

Mercantile parking lot

These are my sketches one morning in the parking lot of the original Lawrence organic and health food store- the Community Mercantile.
From the pots in front of the store to an older couple making their Saturday pilgrimage for a few items, to the variety of "wheels" in the parking lot: a "T-bird", a Toyota, and a full size pickup toting some lumberyard purchases.
It was a sunny spring day, and everyone was out.  
The note at the top is what I was hearing on the radio that morning about Lawrence history and the "father" of basketball. Not sure I don't have the generations switched around. The school itself was named after a Rev. Cordely.   I should do some sketches of the old school...and the recent new additions...

Florida odds & ends

 This fella was on the evening flight down to Orlando.

 The rest were done at MCO waiting for our flight back home.

The lines were long, both inside and outside of the terminal.  We stood in line for 25 minutes or so to check in before we ever left the curb outside.  These folk were standing in a good line inside waiting to check in as well. 

 More palms. These done from the airport window.

 This handsome fella was reading a book about the space program as his wife was hovering about, making sure everything else was done that ladies do.

Here is a study of just his hat.